The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-10
CLARA RELLE.

CLARA RElLE.
Chapter Concerning the Sayings and Do
ings of New York Swell Society.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, April 9-The final week OF Lent
concentrates and climaxes the plety of our fash
ionable women. Let us not be ncredulous or flip
pant, but accept the devotons of the fair as good
and sincere. At the same time it must be allowed
that stylishness is a prime ingredient in their
penitence. Year by year their demonstrations
change in method. This season they have taken
notion to be guided by the Passionist Monks,
who maintain a monastery across the Hudson.
at Hoboken. Sixteen of these rigorousv-vowed
holy men live there in the utmost plainness OF
food and attire. They will wear no Shoes and
in the coolest weather their sandals hardly lift
their bare feet from the snow they go about
their neiehborhood. It is Roman Catholic in
stitution, and yet it is sudden fashion in the
SWEETEST set to 90 there for spiritual direction
to the observance of Lent A coterie of about
a dozen matrons and maidens have resorted to
the monastery to take the advice of the pro-
vincial as the father superior is called. He is
an austere old man. and he receives his strange
callers in dgnfed politeness. He tells them at
once that as they are Protestants, they cannot
get the best Offices of his faith but he listens to
their statements of special faults. and fixes pen
ances for them. These consist of abstinence
from meat, or even diet of stale bread only;
seclusion for the sake of meditation and re-
pentance, and the giving up Of some cherished
project
A o1v cn1ov 10 khA
Of Catherine Wolfe, the richest maiden lady in
the land. She was genuine devotee of re-
lgion and charity. Her obituaries have ere this
been printed everywhere. Stories Of the reason
of her cehbacy and imparting romantic ringe
to it, current in society. An intimate friend
assures me that they are not true. With mill
ions upon millions at her command from girl
hood, with the utmost refinement and goodness
inherent in her nature, with family connections
of the proudest sort, her opportunities for wiz
ing herself advantageouslv were of the best
But she never had the remotest desire to marry.
This feeling may have been partly due to dis
trust of all wooers, for how could she know that
they wanted her rather than her money! But
principally it arose from genuine repugnance
to wedlock. She desired to maintain utter in
dependence. Twenty-Five years ago q Count
Falco came nearer to winning her than any body
before or since. He was al Italian, and his title
was all right, though counts are of no great dis
tinction in Italy. He had beed educated for the
Catholic priesthood but had become an Episco-
palan in this country. He professed to devote
himself to benevolent work: he gained Miss
Wolfes confidence in that way, and it was thought
that she almost, if not quite, accepted him as a
J,Ie s.. CT
intrusted 81, 900 to him for particular charity
He confiscated the fund to his own use, and she
| detected the robbery.
II will never trust man again." she said,
s'unless he refrains from counting me-"
| That seemed to become the fixed rule Of her
| life. and its operation necessitased maidenhood
The prime pet of the weathiest bellies Of New
York is the most Enthusiastically ugly man con-
ceivable. There is no offense'to him in saying
| so for that is his fortune. His name is
Marshall P. Wilder, and he is a frghtfully mis-
shapen hunchback. His face is wonderfully
mobile, and he can put it through wide range
of awfully exaggerated expressions. His career
| is curious illustration of shrewdness and au-
dacity. He made up his mind FIVE years ago to
become professional jester. His plan was to
give private entertainments in the parlors of the
rich, after the manner OF numerous London per
formers, but he couldn't get his scheme fairly
| started His services were accepted for public
| charit- shows but he WAS likely to starve al
that sort of employment. He said to himself
that if the countenance OF the Prince of Wales
had done much for the beautiful Langtry. i,
ought to be potent for the ugly Wilder. But
| how to get itl The problem seemed difficult.
but he solved it. He wrote a letter introducing
himself to Wales He put 1T in envelope
about foot long, and covered it with a splendor
of seals and monograns. This he took to Lon
don. The letter of such wondrous aspect let
him. with only three efforts, right into the
royal presence at a club.
what do you want of me9" asked the Prince
puzzled by the strange missive
Just to tell you one little story" Wilder re-
piled.
Very we'll"
The grotesque dwarf gave an anecdote illus
tratiug it with such grimaces as ROYALTY had
never seen before. He laughed and called for
more. A knot of clubmen gathered, and for al
hour roared at the new story teller. From tina
came Wales's favors and season of profit.
Wilder returned with many letters from in tense
" swell Londoners; accounts of his appearances
before swell drawing room audiences had pre-
coded him. and so. inevitably, our best society
took him coddlingIy into its arms He IS max
| ing money fast. Moreover, the dainty belle:
pamper and caress him. Last evening l saw
| him in a proscenium box at theater. in thu
midst Of a group of girls from Murray Hill, an.
they were treating MIN as they might pc
monkey.
A stout, pompous man escorted a woman, o
very lackadaiscal manner, to a seat in the cente
of city theatre before the rise OF the curtaiG
The two chairs adjoining were vacant. The lad
leaned up against her escort in the yielding, al
fectionate style generally attributed to the sic
cat and the hot brick. The play proceeded, an
this couple endured its tedium rather better tina
the rest of the audience. being buoyed up by ser
timental contact and sustaining consciousness
of guilt. Little did that enamored pair dream
impending evil, but even as the curtain fell o
the second act. and they held sweet converse Il
gether the cloud was gathering Some accider
had detained the party holding tickets for the mel
seats, and the long intermssiou between the act
was half over when usher escorted two worae
, | down to them. There CLEAN of surprise
and indignant recognition in the eyes of the eide
of them, as she took the seat next to the woma
with the pompous man. On the counrenanc,
, | of both man and woman one could read col
, | fusion and uncertainty to the finale OF the OIL
| counter The woman tried TO put a GOOD fax
on it, and said to the newcomer in meek, co..
ciliating tone: I'm very glad to see you, Mr.
Brown"
\ Are you, Mrs. Smith, responded the othe